Dive site with Fishermen on it...

[DennisS]

I like to fish and dive. I've hooked myself and it hurts. I've seen 2/0 hooks imbedded in the reef from trolling. Think about it, someone casts out a plug with two treble hooks on it and it snags your ear, hand or neck-he thinks he has a big one and he's yanking on that pole and reeling as fast as he can. That could really ruin your dive.

Would any diver want to get around sharp hooks being pulled rapidly through the water?

 

[Zoomer]

Well I wouldn't, but I have to tell you that TWICE I have left a site while fishing because a boat pulled up next to us and put out a diver down flag and went in. The last thing I want is to hurt someone below the water and the last thing I want to happen is someone hook me while I am under the water. Like I said I was curious as to the resonces I would get... and as you can see most ASSUMED I was the diver in this question.

Interesting.....

 

[cummings66]

Anyway I was just curious as to what a diver that is a non-fisherman would say to this question and for the record I have NEVER run anyone off a fishing sight to dive however as you can see I have been run off a site because of divers.

Those divers need some educating. I would have been waiting for them when they come up to have a friendly word with them. As I and the others have said, first come first serve for the most part.

 

[cummings66]

curious as to the resonces I would get... and as you can see most ASSUMED I was the diver in this question.

Interesting.....

Yup, ask a questing on a diving board and people tend to think you're asking from that aspect, odd huh?

At any rate, you still saw that almost every single diver here said they would go elsewhere, a couple I wonder about but the majority sided with the first person there having usage, or trying to talk into sharing it.

What's interesting is that you've run into the problem, I think diver education is needed if this has happened several times for you. It's not fair to you for somebody to come in and steal your spot just because they have put a float out after you were there.

Kind of reminds you of claim jumpers in the ole west don't it?

 

[Wayward Son]

"On all waters other than rivers, inlets or navigation channels, divers must make a reasonable effort to stay within 300 feet of the divers-down flag ; vessel operators must make a reasonable effort to maintain a distance of 300 feet on these waters."

OK, I would have to say that most of the boaters out of Pamana City do not seem to know this. I have never seen a fishng boat approach su while we had a flag up, see the flag & leave or stay 100 yards away. The common sequence of events is this:

They approach the site. They come close enough to easily see the dive flag. They proceed to come up close enough to talk to us, usually within 20 to 30 yards. They then often drop anchor & proceed to fish.

I don't think I can recall a single time that a boat left without at least coming well within 50 yards (150 feet, half the mandated distance) of us.

 

[rockjock3]

Well I wouldn't, but I have to tell you that TWICE I have left a site while fishing because a boat pulled up next to us and put out a diver down flag and went in. The last thing I want is to hurt someone below the water and the last thing I want to happen is someone hook me while I am under the water. Like I said I was curious as to the resonces I would get... and as you can see most ASSUMED I was the diver in this question.

Interesting.....

Well, this is interesting. I dive and I also fish. I think that if I was the fisherman in a case like this I would proceed to pull in my line, attach the shark hooks, recast and start jigging to see what I might catch.

Another alternative if you are concerned about actually catching a diver in the above case because YOU don't want to hurt them is to carry a bucket of fresh chum. Then if they pull that stunt you simply pour the chum in the water and let the sharks hurt them for you.

That's just me though and I have zero tolerance for blatently rude people.

 

[wreckchick]

I deal with this enough on both sides... first of all, it is OK to approach a dive vessel displaying a flag at idle speed with a lookout to ask about intentions. Second, you may not come within 100 yds (300 ft) of a vessel displaying a dive flag. If a boat is to put up a flag within that 100 yds, you are required to move off. As a dive vessel I almost always will yield to fishing vessels that are already on a site and moor up outside of the 300' minimum. The ONLY exception I have ever made to this is where I'd hooked a very large wreck for some technical divers and left the downline while we went in for lunch. When we returned there was a guy fishing and using our ball as a marker for his drift. I did chase him off but he could fish the whole wreck and I knew that was tied in for the divers so it was a matter of safety for me.

Rachel

 

[Zoomer]

You know maybe it's just me or maybe is some of the Florida folks I have run into, but they don't seem to give a damn about if you fishing or not, guess they just know the law and expect you to leave if you are fishing and they want to dive....

By the way, have you ever been on a boat with chum that has been sitting for a few hours in the hot humid sun.... if you have never gotten sea sick you might after you smell that.. anyway it is good to hear that this is not the norm for divers...

One last thought, what has come of this world when people (Fisherman or Diver) when they just blatenly ingnore saftey....

 

[DandyDon]

because fishermen are depleting the oceans at an insane rate while divers are spending to protect it...so good guys first

Oh now - it's the commercial trawlers, isn't it, not line fishermen.

I'd think if they were there first, it'd be rude to dive - as doing so will stop the fish from biting.

I have seen fishermen leave, tho, as soon our charter arrived. I think the captains work this out over the radio? Maybe: "How long do you think you'll be there? Okay, do you mind if we head over to the site?" And the fishing captain leaves for his next site, when the dive boat arrives.

BTW, it's kinda fun to collect some larger weights off of the wrecks, but cutting them free of whatever snagged the line.

 

[drbill]

Actually, Don, it is amazing what sport fishers can do in terms of take. There are some commercial and game species here in California in which the landing data indicates the sport fishery takes more than the commercial. Of course in most species it is the opposite.

I do really hate it when I see a party fishing boat with 100 anglers fishing one of my favorite dive sites. However, if they are not in a marine reserve or violating some other law, then they have that right. Of course I've observed numerous party boats illegally anchor within 300' of Catalina's dive park and proceed to fish. These are the ones that often claim marine reserves don't work!